I once heard a preacher speak on this verse. “Our faces are to be bright and cheery,” he exhorted the congregants. In a sense he’s right; our joy should be evident—literally, “sparkle” as the Hebrew text says. Yet, being cheery isn’t the command. It’s a reflection, a by-product, of those who “look to him.” Those that do are cheery. And for good reason. They experience relief from their troubles. As the very next verse testifies, “This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.” Alas, however, often it’s easier to feign a cheer than to follow a Savior.

Your thoughts? How has following Him brought you cheer?